It’s been a pretty busy end to the week! I’ve had a couple of job interviews, we went to an album launch, Orynthia finally got to do her much delayed hot air balloon ride, and we had a great night out, in our favourite local café/bar/restaurant.

For the interviews, I was faced with awkward suit or no suit dilemma, of course I got it wrong on both occasions. For the first one, I went for the suit option and in hindsight feel that the dreaded smart casual option would have been the better. Luckily the people interviewing me were lovely so there was no extended embarrassment. For the second interview, I went for the casual top button undone shirt look, with suit jacket and tidy(ish) jeans. So of course, I step into the office and everyone is dressed to the nines – oops got it wrong again! Once again the people I saw were terrific, interesting and funny which batted away any discomfort on my part.

I really enjoyed both the interviews, the first ones that I’ve had with people I don’t know since the late 1970’s!

Thursday evening saw the launch party for my friend Scott’s album at The River, on the Bristol harbour side. Scott is one half of the Dynamo Productions duo, and does his solo stuff under the name Boca 45. The album is called Pitch Sounds and is out on the very trendy Grand Central label. Loads of good stuff on this album, which features a few local MC’s, Tammy Payne of The Jukes and a brilliant track called Walking with the excellent McKay. Scott is great DJ if he comes to your town and he does travel pretty extensively (Europe, USA and Australia as well as the UK), then make sure you check him out.

We had to leave the bash early as Orynthia needed to be up and out before the sun rose, in order to take part in her long awaited balloon flight. This has been cancelled more times this summer than Bristol City have thrown away promotion, who would have thought that it would finally happen in October? Anyway luckily the sun shone and Orynthia said that the views of Deer running through the misty early morning fields were lovely.

Last night we hooked up with some old friends at The North on Gloucester Road for some good old-fashioned English food. A few of us had the now classic local Pieminister pies with mushy peas, mash and very tasty gravy. The others went for sausage and mash or fish and chips. Great simple food, lovely wine and fantastically friendly and helpful staff make this place a real winner, it was absolutely packed with an really eclectic bunch of people so we can’t be the only ones to think so.